Review- KILL OR BE KILLED VOL. 2

KILL OR BE KILLED VOL. 2 (Image, First Printing, 2017; Softcover)

Collects Kill Or Be Killed #5-10 (cover dates January- July, 2017)

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Sean Phillips

Colorist: Elizabeth Breitweiser

I borrowed this book from my local library.

Things have begun to spiral out of control for Dylan. First, the demon that he is serving by killing one person per month is mocking him. Then we see the entrance of Lily Sharpe, a rookie detective who is the only one to accurately piece together the puzzle. And then we have his personal relationships going from good to bad and bad to worse, respectively.

Without getting too spoilerish, this is being played right down the middle. Is it a demon driving Dylan or is Dylan just a nut who is off of his psychotropic meds? I have an idea but I am not saying. I need to read Volume 3 stat.

Brubaker's writing is top notch, Phillips is doing the best artwork of his career, and Breitweiser is one of the greatest colorists that I have ever seen. These are some great comic books from the “middlebrow” segment of the medium.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- This is the part where I go into tactile sensations and materials used in physical media. Those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, or women who are pregnant should exit my blog at their earliest convenience, as their safety cannot be guaranteed beyond this point.

This is a copy that I borrowed from the library. Library copies are fascinating studies in workmanship and durability.

The covers are collected in the back of the book, a major pet peeve of mine. While there is a blank red page which serves as a chapter marker for each issue, I dislike it when the covers aren't placed before the issues.

Paper stock: Matte coated stock with minimal sheen. This is some fantastic paper. Readers of digital comics scoff at collected edition snobs like myself, but I am like a vinyl and CD music fan. The tangible physical object makes it more real to me. I love paper.

Binding: Perfect bound paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Matte coating on the cardstock which is remarkably resistant to scuffing. Image makes quality books these days, and I'm not just referring to the content.